


An Unexpected Cut

by sekiharatae



Category: Rurouni Kenshin
Genre: F/M, Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-02-17
Updated: 2002-02-17
Packaged: 2017-10-12 12:29:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/124823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sekiharatae/pseuds/sekiharatae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One explanation for the new look Kenshin's sporting at the end of the manga.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Unexpected Cut

The two swordsmen were better than average, having held their own through the first few exchanges. Nevertheless, neither of the men could have beaten Kenshin alone, and they presented little challenge together. Obviously accustomed to working as a team, the larger of the two attempted to box the rurouni in while his smaller, faster partner darted in and around the combatants, inflicting the actual damage. The tactic might have worked were it not for Kenshin's own speed. Moving faster than thought he executed a whirling, spinning attack which knocked both men back and off their feet, one choking from the blow to his throat, the other gasping for breath as the wind was knocked out of him. Kenshin stood in the open space between them, unharmed and breathing easily although the movement he had chosen had placed his throat dangerously close to the smaller man's blade.

"Yahiko," the rurouni instructed, "fetch your young friend from the police station to arrest these two."

"Hai!"

As the former pickpocket dashed off on his errand, Kenshin turned from the slowly dispersing crowd to keep an eye on his two prisoners.

Scant seconds later, an agonized shriek tore through the air: "Kenshin!"

 _Kaoru!_ The rurouni's mind raced as his eyes darted around the open street, searching for her, for some source of danger. _Had there been a third man?_ The two he'd fought lay where they'd fallen, no longer a threat to anyone. At last his frightened gaze found her huddled on the ground a short distance away, her slim form curled protectively around something she held cradled in her arms.

"Kenshin," she repeated, her voice filled with an aching sorrow, tears running down her face when he came to kneel beside her.

"What's wrong, Kaoru? Were you hurt? Where -should I take you to Dr. Genzai?"

She shook her head back and forth in anguished denial. "There's nothing anyone can do," she whispered. "It's too late."

Kenshin's heart froze in his chest. _How could sessha have let this happen? How?_ Needing to see the damage for himself, unable to believe she could be so badly wounded, he desperately pried her arms away from her abdomen, loosing a cascade of rich red silk. Her pain-filled, whimpering protest tore at him as he stared, horrified by the sight of so much blood.

 _Blood?_

He blinked. The stuff she'd held cradled to her was certainly red, but it didn't look or feel like blood. Gathering a handful he sampled the texture, realizing what he held even as he became aware of a certain coolness across his shoulders and neck. Hair. She was crying over the loss of his hair. Somehow, in the midst of his spinning attack, the smaller man's sword must have cut through the band at the back of his head.

"Ano... Kaoru... it's just hair," he coaxed, more than a little unnerved by the way she was sobbing.

"How could they? How could they?" she wailed in response. "I'll never forgive them! Never!"

"It'll grow back..."

"Iie! It'll take months! Years!" Hands clenched in the hair coiled in her lap, Kaoru was not to be placated. "Yurusenai!" Wild-eyed she grabbed his sakabatou, loudly declaring that she was going to shave the two swordsmen bald with the revere-blade's sharp edge.

Kenshin hastened to stop her. "Kaoru, daijoubu! Daijoubu! Everything's fine - I'm fine, it's just a little-"

"You are _not_ fine," she countered, her eyes filling with tears again as she looked at him. "You don't even look like yourself anymore! I can't..." the words faltered as she choked on a sob, "I can't stand what they did to you!"

"It's just a hair cut!" he protested, "You're acting like I lost something vital."

She patted him on the cheek, her eyes sad. "You did, Kenshin, you did."

He stared, more than a little confused. "What? What did I lose that was so important?"

Kaoru sighed, gripping the sakabatou with renewed determination. "Your sex appeal."

"My-?" Kenshin choked, not quite believing his ears. Questioning violet eyes met hers, read confirmation within. Still he hesitated a moment before reaching out and taking the sakabatou from her. "Yurusenai," he quietly repeated, flipping the sword over, lethal side out.

Kaoru nodded approval. Even cheap villains should know better than to mess with a bishounen's haircut.


End file.
